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Your most compelling reason for NOT believing in God
- Thread starter SemperFiDawg
- Start date
SemperFiDawg
Political Forum Arbiter of Truth (And Lies Too)
That's my point. If evidence is your standard, it's hypocritical to hold God to a higher standard of evidence than you do any other being. If you hear a dog bark, you believe there is a dog there based on hearing. You have probably never heard a hippo bellow, but if you heard a noise you couldn't identify and a person you had always found sensible and credible told you it was a hippo bellowing you would most reasonably believe it. You have never met me, yet you believe me and others exists based on our communication. There are millions upon millions of Christians who will tell you that God exists based on their ability to communicate with him and he with them, because he has acted in their lives and they can see the evidence of it. Why? Because he is a being who is capable of thought, will, and action. That's evidence.
SemperFiDawg
Political Forum Arbiter of Truth (And Lies Too)
For that matter you could say "humanity sit in between....
660griz
Senior Member
Yes.
oldfella1962
Senior Member
to answer the thread question of "most compelling reason" I would have to say the concept of critical thinking. examples:
1. David (or one of those old testament heroes) killed 5,000 enemy with the jaw-bone of a donkey in one battle.
Let's get a visual on this - during the chaos word gets around that some dude is going Babe Ruth with a donkey jaw-bone. Wow, sure enough, look at that guy! There are hundreds/thousands of our guys dead from getting their heads bashed in - and he's still not running out of steam!
Apparently nobody has a spear, a sword, or even a pointed stick with which to kill him. Well I guess he's got our number - might as well stand in line and get ready for our bashing death - he's a tactical genius!
2. When Adam ate the "fruit of the tree of knowledge" on that very day he was supposed to die. He lived what, 700+ more years? I need to get on that nutrition plan - Atkins or Weight Watchers has nothing on this healthy eating system!
3. Hundreds of thousands (millions?) of different species on this planet and they all fit on one boat.
Okay, some say maybe species have "adapted slightly" over time. Yes, they did, it's called "evolution" and most of the animals "adapted" millions of years before we used tools to build a tiny log raft, let alone a wooden boat bigger than physics even allows.
1. David (or one of those old testament heroes) killed 5,000 enemy with the jaw-bone of a donkey in one battle.
Let's get a visual on this - during the chaos word gets around that some dude is going Babe Ruth with a donkey jaw-bone. Wow, sure enough, look at that guy! There are hundreds/thousands of our guys dead from getting their heads bashed in - and he's still not running out of steam!
Apparently nobody has a spear, a sword, or even a pointed stick with which to kill him. Well I guess he's got our number - might as well stand in line and get ready for our bashing death - he's a tactical genius!
2. When Adam ate the "fruit of the tree of knowledge" on that very day he was supposed to die. He lived what, 700+ more years?
I need to get on that nutrition plan - Atkins or Weight Watchers has nothing on this healthy eating system! 3. Hundreds of thousands (millions?) of different species on this planet and they all fit on one boat.
Okay, some say maybe species have "adapted slightly" over time. Yes, they did, it's called "evolution" and most of the animals "adapted" millions of years before we used tools to build a tiny log raft, let alone a wooden boat bigger than physics even allows.
bullethead
Of the hard cast variety
Using your own standards will you admit that many other gods exist? Millions of people communicate with them and they can see evidence that those gods acted in ways that affected them. Your standards of evidence show you that many gods exist. Do you agree?
Israel
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to answer the thread question of "most compelling reason" I would have to say the concept of critical thinking. examples:
1. David (or one of those old testament heroes) killed 5,000 enemy with the jaw-bone of a donkey in one battle.
Let's get a visual on this - during the chaos word gets around that some dude is going Babe Ruth with a donkey jaw-bone. Wow, sure enough, look at that guy! There are hundreds/thousands of our guys dead from getting their heads bashed in - and he's still not running out of steam!
Apparently nobody has a spear, a sword, or even a pointed stick with which to kill him. Well I guess he's got our number - might as well stand in line and get ready for our bashing death - he's a tactical genius!
2. When Adam ate the "fruit of the tree of knowledge" on that very day he was supposed to die. He lived what, 700+ more years?
3. Hundreds of thousands (millions?) of different species on this planet and they all fit on one boat.
Okay, some say maybe species have "adapted slightly" over time. Yes, they did, it's called "evolution" and most of the animals "adapted" millions of years before we used tools to build a tiny log raft, let alone a wooden boat bigger than physics even allows.
You've only given evidences of things with which you are at odds with the Bible. You have not said anything about believing in God.
oldfella1962
Senior Member
Maybe because if hundreds of things in the bible just don't "add up" then it pretty much outweighs the vague, abstract concepts that can't be disproven - love, hate, faith, greed, human emotions & behavior in general that have always existed and are part of any religion and that we all recognize.
centerpin fan
Senior Member
Without getting into specific examples, wouldn't you agree that some very smart people with excellent critical thinking skills are believers?
WaltL1
Senior Member
Lets not forget the question you asked -
Are you sure this is the argument you want to make? -
Maybe give that some thought ^
So are you. So am I. So is a dog. A possum? Yep.
A murderer? Uh huh. A Muslim? Yes sir.
A (*gasp*) Atheist? 'fraid so.
All capable of thought, will and action.
Of what?
atlashunter
Senior Member
That's not evidence. It's just an unverifiable assertion repeated millions and millions of times.
WaltL1
Senior Member
Israel
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There's a word for one who is moderately interested, or only moderately devoted to the truth.
Just because I know this, and write this, does not at all indicate my own devotion is true. That devotion is not mine to judge, but I must see according to the measure given me.
I am troubled when I find myself in a lie. I cannot explain away how the expediencies of that practice are so outstripped by the troubling when revealed. I don't know that even now, at this moment, where I will be found relative to the things I express to you.
But nevertheless, we might both be able to agree that there is an impetus, a motive, moving us to communicate with each other.
Each of us may say "this is why I am here, this is why I am speaking to you" thinking even, that the reason given, or what we discern as our motive is the truth, the motive reduced to its essence. We do that, don't we?
Now, a liar would have no concern at all with that, I'm quite convinced he would be convinced he absolutely knew all the reasons for everything he does. He really hasn't been able to touch in any sense, the mystery of it all.
In fact, I would say because he believes himself to know so well his own motives, he'd easily believe he could be the discerner of all motives.
He believes himself the discerner.
But this I know by what I have seen, no man can reduce himself to the truth. But he can be reduced by it.
Even so far as that the truth of who, and what he is, can be totally trusted into the hands of Another. And this man I have seen. Whether I know Him, only He can say.
660griz
Senior Member
660griz
Senior Member
WaltL1
Senior Member
This is a good example of what we see over and over again.
In the argument that SFD makes, replace Christian with the religion of your choice, and God with the name of the god that goes with it.
It absolutely will not sink in that he just made a case for alllll those other gods he doesn't believe in.
And it hits on Centerpin's question -
Now obviously the answer to the question as worded would be absolutely.
BUT
If one of those specific examples we aren't getting into just happens to be one's religious beliefs then very often the critical thinking gets put on the back burner and faith, fear, indoctrination and all those other emotions take over.
Its why SFD doesn't see this -
bullethead
Of the hard cast variety
Yes.
How has the extra smarts and skills allowed them to prove their beliefs are anything more than beliefs?
Are you talking about smart people with excellent critical thinking skills that make up all religions or just smart and skilled Christians?
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